Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Hello there

Having just moved house and acquired the new TV V6 box I have just learned that I cannot Record directly onto my DVD recorder.

Is there any way around this at all via the use of DVD / Scart splitters ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Richard

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

The only way to do it is to use a HDMI Splitter and a HDMI > SCART converter, but your mileage may vary.

Some people have got it working well and then others haven't been able to get a decent picture.

Also most of these don't support HDCP 2.2 so introducing this into a 4K setup may cause issues.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Many thanks for your quick reply and help with this

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Sadly I'm one of those who converters haven't worked for. I've tried 2 different HDMI to SCART converters on 2 different HDD/DVD recorders and the picture is awful!

So any help you could give Ben would be gratefully received.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Unfortunately, I have no direct experience of them, so I haven't got any recommendations above the types of converts required.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

No worries thanks anyway :)

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

This is the type of kit I presume that you would need, in theory (i.e. the two items highlighted half down the page as Frequently Bought Together)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cablesson-H...vw_txt?ie=UTF8

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Remember that SCART can carry the video signal in two different ways: either as RGB component or as composite (PAL) video. The first will give much better results.

It may be that those who have experienced poor picture are running in composite mode?

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

I did think of that and changed between composite and RGB on my DVD/HDD recorder and it made no difference.

Can you change this on the TIVO? or V6?

I can't help but think I've missed something really simple :(

I only want to record n keep tennis matches hence the reason i need to convert to SCART IN on my dvd/hdd player.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

It's the source end that needs to be set correctly, in this case it's the HDMI to SCART convertor that needs to output RGB. AFAIK the receiving end, in your case the DVD recorder, automatically picks up the correct way to interperet the signals if it supports it.

That's the way my Philips matchline TV used to work, the RGB mode was set in the STB and the TV automatically used it. Made a significant improvement of the picture quality.

The SCART connector has a data channel where I think the information is sent.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Thanks for all this :)

So you're saying I need to make sure the HDMI - SCART converter, outputs
RGB?!

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

For the best quality, yes. I've not looked at those on offer to see how they are configured. You may need to scrutinise the small print.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

So would the two items highlighted in the link be what I would require in order to potentially make this connection?

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Yes, but be aware that the HDMI to SCART converter is composite only i.e. low picture quality.

It will not be as good as most direct SCART to SCART connections as these will tend to be RBG.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Thank you and I presume that there is nothing that I can do about the picture due to the situation we are in here with the new V6 Tivo.

Just so that I can see this in my minds eye, are you able to briefly outline what goes where in terms of connecting this up?

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

No, there is no other option as there doesn't seem to anyone making an HDMI to RGB SCART converter.

For the connections:

HDMI from V6 box > HDMI splitter

Splitter > TV + HDMI to SCART converter

HDMI to SCART converter > DVD Recorder

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Hello Ben,

That's great and thank you so much for your help here. It's 'only' £50 and I also want to keep some tennis matches, other sports and my Top of the Pops episodes, so I'm going to give it a whirl and hope that the picture is usable.

All the best


Richard

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

The other option is to add a Tivo to your system and record the shows you want to archive on the Tivo; they will be viewable on the V6. It is an added on-going monthly expense though.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

You mean the previous version of the Virgin media TiVo box? I wish that I'd ask to keep it for the second box as I do like all the other aspects of V6 box. I can't imagine that Virgin would send an old version of the TiVo out to me?

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Bizarre that people are happy with the quality then as I couldn't put up with it.

---------- Post added at 16:48 ---------- Previous post was at 16:47 ----------

Yes, I don't need the splitter part and I also looked for an RGB converter and I couldn't find one either.

Looks as if I'll be sticking to the TIVO!

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Tivo has a scart output that you can feed directly into your DVD recorder and is still available Many people use it as a second box.


Scart was disabled on the V6. A Tivo would solve your problem. You can use Multiroom Streaming to stream shows from the Tivo to the V6, providing the Tivo is connected to your router.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Stick with Tivo. The Scart is useful for feeding to other TV's as well as a DVD recorder. The V6 is the 'Emperors New Clothes'. It's advantages are outweighed by the scart omission for me.

---------- Post added at 20:27 ---------- Previous post was at 20:26 ----------

And how much do all these converters cost, and what's the PQ like at the end of it ?

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

For me now I have reach the wonderful age of 50 this past week, i feel life is to short to archive recordings onto DVD and we should live for the moment, watch live recordings or off the Tivo HD :D:D:)

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Steady on Hatter you're only 50, barely middle aged these days ! ;)

My Tivo feeds 4 tv's and a DVD recorder, I like to multi-task get my moneys worth !

I suspect the set up of the 1 hdmi output on the V6 is deliberate to get you to buy more boxes.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

For the splitter and scart converter you can get them both for around £50. The picture quality isn't fantastic but is apparently usable. Seeing as I have an HDMI AV Output port on the back of my Panasonic DVD Recorder I am wondering if I also need the SCART converter?

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

You'll find that there isn't an HDMI in for recording though.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

I believe that you are correct - so i'll looking for buying gadgets, then!

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

No it's because Electronics manufacturers are under pressure from content providers to phase scart out, due to lack of HDCP.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Is it beyond the capability of someone to develop a DVD recorder with hdmi input?

Failing that a hdmi to RGB scart lead

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Amazon will give you HDMI to SCART adapters unfortunately they're only composite (PAL) video so the quality is not the best.

Technically there's no reason that DVD recorders with an HDMI couldn't be marketed, as stated above it's the content providers that are so anti.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

So what you need to preserve both HD video and dolby soundtrack is the following, a HDMI splitter and a Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition Plus linked to your PC/MAC.

Archive will have to be done in real time but it works.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Even with SCART, you have copy protection in place. Any HDMI to SCART converter will honour that copy protection, so you are back where you started. HDMI devices are covered by licensing, and part of that requires the manufacturer of any device to include copy protection(HDCP). Some manufacturers ignore that and simply strip out HDCP.

IIRC Freeview SD transmissions are not copy protected, Freeview recorders did(and maybe still do) allow dubbing of a recording to DVD or transfer to computer with no loss of quality and complete with subtitles.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Just a brief note to say that I was able to resume recording on to DVD via the way described earlier using both the Converter and the splitter. Many thanks for your help.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Do you get a reasonable picture quality?

As good as standard definition?

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

I think reasonable is about as good as you can describe it. Not SD quality but also not a million miles away from it

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Ok thanks for the prompt reply.

Incidentally, the lack of scart output also affects SkyQ, one of the reasons I didn't upgrade from skyHD.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

You have to remember that the old analog PAL (composite) signal had to be compatible with monochrome & colour sets: To that end the Y component (B&W) uses the full 5.5MHz and 576 active lines whereas the colour difference components (R-Y and B-Y) sit in ~1MHz and half the number of lines because of the two line averaging process of the PAL system.

It works because the brain tends to make the fuzzy colours fit inside the sharper B&W images much like the colouring book of a child.

SD is able to give each individual colour a full bandwidth.

Re: Recording to DVD from Virgin V6 Box
 

Any solution also works for streaming devices such as NowTV, Roku, Amazon Firestick and probably all others.